Farmers in Lilongwe district have commended Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) for equipping them with climate smart agricultural technologies which have helped restore degraded land.

Speaking on Friday during a media tour at Linthipe Catchment Area in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Chitekwere in the district, one of the farmers Damiano Chauwa said many people are now able to do their agricultural activities on the pieces of land which were abandoned for some time because of lack of fertile soil due to degradation as a result of run-off.

“We are happy now that we are able to use the farms that were abandoned many years ago because of run-off water as we were not able to harvest enough maize as most of the crops were being washed away,” he said.

He said his farm and others have benefited stone bunds and swales which were constructed and vertiver grass was planted in his field which has helped mitigate the run-off.

Through the project, penetrating pits were also constructed which has helped reduce soil erosion as run off has completely been controlled.

According to Chauwa, the farmers are optimistic to have bumper yield this year.

Another participant from Kavunde Catchment Area in the area of Traditional Authority M’bang’ombe, Lex Kapaza, said the programme has assisted farmers to embrace new farming technologies which has dramatically helped them change their livelihood for the better.

“Let me take this opportunity to thank government for introducing CS-EPWP which is changing the lives of people. If you can go around, you will see that many of us have livestock because of this programme,” he said.

Lilongwe District Desk Officer for CS-EPWP, Setrida Mlamba, said it is interesting that communities in the district have embraced the programme and expressed optimism over the success of the programme citing current progress in the restoration of the degraded landscapes.

CS-EPWP is a component of Social Support for Resilience Livelihood Project (SSRLP), which is being facilitated by the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) with financial support from the Multi-Donor Trust Fund including the World Bank.